It has been linked to reproductive problems, diabetes and autism, and is banned in the manufacture of baby bottles.

Sugars have been used to create non-BPA polycarbonates before, but the manufacturing process has previously required use of the highly toxic chemical phosgene.

Phosgene was used as a chemical weapon in World War I, responsible for 85% of the deaths caused by gas attacks.

“Our process uses carbon dioxide instead of the highly toxic chemical phosgene, and produces a plastic that is free from BPA,” said Dr Antoine Buchard, Whorrod Research Fellow at the University of Bath’s Department of Chemistry.

“So not only is the plastic safer, but the manufacture process is cleaner too.”

By selecting thymidine as the sugar used to create the biodegradable plastic, the university’s scientists may also have found a medical application for it.

“Thymidine is one of the units that makes up DNA,” said Georgina Gregory, a PhD student and lead author of the research paper.

“Because it is already present in the body, it means this plastic will be bio-compatible and can be used safely for tissue engineering applications.”